Grade the Trade: Warriors give up their future for unproven star in latest proposal
Laying out a trade for a star
Jonathan Kuminga is a budding star, a player with the athleticism needed to excel in the modern NBA and a growing skillset as a scorer and defender. It's not entirely out of the question to compare him to Finals MVP Jaylen Brown as a high-end outcome; he could reach that height.
To trade him, therefore, would require getting back a superstar in return. That's likely the only situation the Warriors would consider moving him for at this point in his development cycle.
Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report suggested that Lauri Markkanen of the Utah Jazz is "that type of talent" and built a blockbuster deal for the Warriors, pushing in essentially every trade chip they have to land the seven-foot forward. Here's the deal he built:
Everyone for Markkanen
The Utah Jazz struck gold when they landed Lauri Markkanen in the Donovan Mitchell trade, and the Finnish marksman has blossomed in Utah under the tutelage of head coach Will Hardy and his offensive scheme. Markkanen can shoot from anywhere on the court, is comfortable coming off of screens or pulling up himself, and has the height to be essentially unblockable shooting in the midrange.
His combination of size and shooting make him an ideal fit on any team, which is why he is highly coveted by teams around the league. He is an offensive star who is not a defensive liability and doesn't require the ball in his hands all of the time; he can fit with any contender. He would certainly be a significant upgrade to the Warriors.
Why would Utah make this deal, then? They have been stuck in team-building purgatory the last couple of years, not good enough to make the playoffs but not bad enough to finish at the bottom of the standings, in large part because of how well Markkanen has played. This deal would remove their No. 1 scorer and reset their timeline.
Jonathan Kuminga would be a centerpiece player to build on, along with whoever they draft next season with their own pick. Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody are both young and potential starters on the wing, and the two first-round picks from the Warriors have a lot of upside as Curry and Draymond age out of their primes. This would be a home run haul for the Jazz.
Would the Warriors be willing to make this trade?